Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Chris Leben
Chris Leben stepped up on two weeks notice to replace an injured Wanderlei Silva. The Fight The first round began. Akiyama got an inside leg kick and got the trip to guard. Leben stood nearly immediately and they broke. Leben kept kicking, landing a leg kick. Four thirty-five. Leben missed a high kick. The crowd chanted 'Leben!' Akiyama landed an inside leg kick. Leben landed a leg kick. Four fifteen left. Leben landed an inside leg kick and ate one himself. Four minutes. He landed another leg kick. He landed a leg kick. 'Right hand!' Leben landed a left hand countering. Three thirty-five. He landed two kicks, inside and outside. He ate an inside kick to the groin and he had to take a moment. Akiyama apologized and they continued. Leben landed a leg kick. He landed another. Three fifteen. Akiyama missed a spinning back fist narrowly. Leben stuffed a double, landed a knee to the body, and Akiyama got a judo toss to guard. Three minutes. Leben immediately locked up an armbar attempt, Akiyama was defending it. He did back to guard. Two thirty-five. Leben went for another armbar. Akiyama was defending but this one was tighter. Two fifteen. Akiyama escaped and he spun and had a mounted crucifix. He was working for an armbar there with two minutes. He had a mounted triangle position ready to go. One thirty-five. Akiyama was possibly working towards a kimura. Leben hip-escaped regaining half-guard. One fifteen. One minute. They should stand them up. The crowd chanted 'USA'. Leben turtled up and stood to the clinch with thirty seconds. They broke. Fifteen. Akiyama was tired. Leben landed a leg kick. Leben landed a straight left and a good right hand. Akiyama got a beautiful judo trip into side control at the end of the first round. The second round began. They circled. Leben landed a leg kick and a blocked high kick and slipped but he stood. Akiyama landed a straight right and a blocked high kick. Four thirty-five. Leben landed a straight left. They clinched, Leben stuffed a trip and they broke. Four fifteen. Akiyama landed a spinning back fist and Leben wasn't fazed, he landed a leg kick. He landed a Superman punch. Akiyama landed an uppercut and ate another left hook with approximately four minutes. Leben stuffed another trip. 'He's tired!' Three thirty-five. Leben missed a left hook after eating a right. Leben landed four lefts but ate a counter right and he was hurt badly. Akiyama landed an uppercut and a right hand and a left hook himself with three fifteen. Akiyama missed a right and tripped and they were circling now. Three minutes as Leben landed a pair of straight lefts and another, zombieing forward and they clinched. Leben landed a foot stomp. Akiyama got a judo trip, Leben nearly stood but pulled guard. Two thirty-five. Leben was trying to stand and wall-walk. Two fifteen. Akiyama landed three hammerfists in under. Leben pulled guard again. Two minutes. 'Get back to the cage!' Leben was breathing heavily. He stood to the clinch eating five or six shots in under. One thirty-five. Leben was cut under his right eye. Leben might have done an eye gouge. One fifteen. Leben briefly worked towards a guillotine. One minute. Akiyama escaped and they broke exchanging. Leben landed a leg kick eating a counter right. He ate another landing a left. Thirty-five. Leben landed a big left and a blocked headkick and a left hand again, and another straight left and another and he ate a pair of rights and landed a right hook himself and they clinched with fifteen. What a fucking war. Leben landed three short lefts inside. He defended a judo throw and the second round came to an end and the crowd was roaring and Leben raised his arms. Akiyama toppled off his stool, exhausted, in the corner. 'Don't let him take you down,' they told Leben in the corner. The third round began. Both fighters were smiling and they double touched gloves. Leben landed a leg kick and stuffed a double. Leben landed a hard body kick. He landed a straight let and an uppercut. Four thirty-five. He stuffed another single attempt. He landed a leg kick and ate a right hand. Four fifteen as Leben landed a high kick but not flush. He landed an inside leg kick, and a leg kick and Akiyama caught it and landed a right and Leben tripped to guard. Leben landed an elbow from the bottom. Four minutes through all that. Leben was landing double hammerfists from the bottom. Double punches, wow. Three thirty-five. He went for an armbar again. He nearly had it this time. Three fifteen. Oh wow that was tight. Akiyama was standing. Akiyama almost tapped. He escaped instead to half-guard with three minutes left there. Akiyama was working towards an arm triangle now. Leben landed six or seven heel kicks. Akiyama nearly mounted, Leben tried to sweep but Akiyama kept the mount now. Two thirty. The crowd was booing now. Leben regained half-guard. Two fifteen. The crowd chanted 'Leben.' Two minutes. Leben regained gauard. He landed more double hammerfists and a pair of elbows off of his back. Leben was really striking off his back. One thirty-five. He landed a good hammerfist from his back. Akiyama landed a good left hand. Leben elbowed from the bottom and another and ate a left elbow. He landed another himself. One fifteen. Leben with another elbow and another pair and another. One minute. Akiyama landed a right hand. Leben landed a trio of elbows from the bottom. Leben locked up a tight triangle with thirty-five. He was hammerfisting and elbowing. It was tight. Akiyama tapped with twenty-five seconds remainning. The crowd was roaring.